ELIZABETHTOWN — Women in Bladen County battling drug addiction will soon have a place to go for recovery.
“We’re happy to announce we have secured funds for (the Teen Challenge facility) and will be going to take possession of those funds this week,” Amy Munn, Celebrate Recovery representative, told attendees at the Bladen County opioid forum recently.
Munn has been working to open a drug treatment facility for women in the Mother County.
Teen Challenge, to be located in the Ammon community near the male drug treatment facility Southeastern Carolina Crossroads, will be a 12- to 15-month faith-based recovery center for women. Munn said she expects the group to close on the property in early June.
Despite its name, the site will not be solely for teenagers, but will cater to women between the ages of 18 and 40 years old who are seeking to recover from drug addiction or other issues that have left them in bondage.
The idea for a Bladen County treatment center is close to Munn’s heart. What began as a way to relax — by taking some of her husband’s prescription pain pills — soon overtook her life, and she found herself addicted to opioids, doing drugs with her husband, and committing crimes to support her habit. She eventually enrolled in Albemarle Teen Challenge, taking a year to complete the program that she said “changed her life.” Now working with Celebrate Recovery at Windsor United Methodist Church, Munn became involved with the Bladen County opioid forum and heard of the need for treatment for women.
“We desperately need a place for women,” David Foster, director of Missions for the Bladen Baptist Association, said recently.
The issue has been one of the overarching messages and concerns voiced at the ongoing opioid forums.
Teen Challenge has a duo of big days coming up. On June 23, the site will host an Open House from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. On June 25, applications will begin being accepted.
In the interim, the organization is in need of supplies to stock the house. Furniture needs include a dining table and chairs, dressers, lamps and desks, as well as consumable items like toiletries, food, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items for women, and laundry detergent. Anyone interested in donating items may contact Munn at 910-990-7661.
Chrysta Carroll can be reached by calling 910-862-4163 or emailing ccarroll@bladenjournal.com.